Saving Kemi

I walked into Kemi's room casually just like in previous times to tidy up her room. I have religiously and routinely cleaned her room since her mysterious disappearance three years ago and all efforts, including the involvement of the police and local vigilante, have proved abortive. Mom has been a shadow of herself since then and all of us have only gradually begun to accept with forced resolution that Kemi was not coming back. We left her room just as she left it when she disappeared and I only came in when I needed to tidy the room or wallow in her nostalgia.

Kemi's room wasn't as big as the conventional room, had beautiful portraits of herself and anime drawings. Kemi had just clocked ten when she disappeared and would have been thirteen by now. I was two years older than her, and being her only sibling, we bonded passionately. I walked up to her bed and sat gently on it, a small squeaky sound was let out. I stared for a brief moment at one of Kemi's pictures that hung on the wall facing me directly. She was of moderate height, and chocolate skin color, and her bilateral dimples and smile melted my heart once again, missing her more than ever.

"I miss you, baby sis." I heard myself whisper audibly. I stood up, grabbed the mop stick, and bent down to begin mopping her room. A memory of Kemi flashed through my mind, reminding me how she often hid under her bed whenever we played hide and seek while we were much younger. I bent down to take a look under the bed as though I was expecting Kemi to be there just like in times past and all I saw was emptiness. I sighed and stood up to my feet but then, realized my eyes had caught a glimpse of something under the bed, Kemi's diary! I hastily bent down and stretched my arm to pick up the dusty diary which was Kemi's. She had always kept her diary away from me and I respected her privacy for it.

I dusted Kemi's black diary and held it in my palm for a few seconds before summoning the courage to open it. 'Here are my thoughts scribbled on paper,' were the words written on the first page, and for some unknown reasons, a smile crept through my lips. I flipped the pages of Kemi's diary and every page seemed to make me smile repeatedly. However, towards the middle pages of her diary, I noticed concerns laden in her words. She had been hearing whispers urging her to 'come'. 'come to where?' I thought to myself as I hastened perusing and flipping through the pages of her diary. I froze when I got to a part where Kemi reportedly traveled to a different world she described as 'beautiful with numerous anime creatures'. Kemi had visited the anime world and made a few friends. Many thoughts ran through my head, and this time around, carefully scanned her diary for any clues as to how to get into the anime world. 'There's a boy, Akin that likes me and, I like him too. He wants to take me on a voyage. I may be away for a while. I hope my family won't be worried much and hopefully, I return in a jiffy.'

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I slammed the diary close and hit my palm on my forehead. It was clear now, that Kemi had willingly traversed into the anime world and followed Akin on a voyage. I opened her diary again and reverted to where I had first learned about the anime world. Lucky for me, Kemi wrote down the passage and without hesitation, I shifted the rug under her bed, and underneath was a red and circular button. I hesitated for a moment, thinking if I should call my parents who were out of the house at that instance. Without thinking further, I pressed the button and immediately, felt a wave of energy course through my body like a surge and felt my headlight only to realize I was tumbling and soon, I had become an anime in a different world. This world seemed to be made of glass as everywhere seemed to glitter and sparkle. While I floated in the new atmosphere without control, I saw other animes navigate easily through the atmosphere masterfully. A central force however pulled me to a central stage where a few animes stood with their attention focused on a ceremony. I crashed into the small gathering and caused a distraction that put a few animes on the defense. A small circle was formed around me by the animes, some had their swords unsheathed. I looked beyond them and picked out Kemi's figure at an altar, a little distance away. Instinctively, I shouted 'Kemi' and slowly, she turned towards my direction from where she stood with a male anime right beside her in what looked like a wedding ceremony. My heart tore into pieces as Kemi's eyes met with mine, tears welled up in her eyes and I knew immediately she was enchanted and helpless.

I pushed myself against the force and floated towards Kemi and though, my movement was haphazard, I was able to reach and skillfully maneuvered myself against the male anime standing close to her. I grabbed Kemi by her wrist and swiftly wrapped her in my arms. Immediately I held her in my arms, Kemi shook herself and got her senses back. "Take me home brother," Kemi whispered weakly into my ears and held on tightly to me like her life depended on it.

"Who are you to take my betrothed?" The male anime asked hoarsely. True, he was handsome. For a moment, I almost fell in love with him even as a guy.

"I'm her brother and I am here to take my sister back!" I replied equally harshly, staring directly into the anime's eyes whose eyebrows were raised at that realization. I suspected that must be Akin, just as Kemi had described him in her diary.

"She doesn't want to go back to her world." Akin retorted.

"I want to go home." Kemi countered Akin and forced herself to say even though her voice was weak. "Take me home, I want to go home," Kemi said, turning to me and wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Very well then, open the portal for them. I have no wish to destabilize my world with your arrogant presence. Leave immediately." Akin, the anime thundered and within a split second, I felt a surge of energy run through my marrows just like previously experienced but this time around, I held on to Kemi very tightly.

With a loud thud, we both landed in Kemi's room and the scent of familiarity that welcomed us calmed my racing heartbeat. I helped Kemi up and lifted her on my shoulder, out of the room. I realized her diary had disappeared from the bed I left it on earlier. I was not willing to risk her presence in her room. I laid her on the couch in the sitting room where she laid weakly. I called my mom and asked them to come home urgently. I fetched a glass of water from the fridge and Kemi gulped down the water like a horse deprived of water for ages. Barely ten minutes, Mom and Dad stumbled into the house and their expressions were of shock and disbelief. Mom ran to Kemi and enveloped her in a tight hug, tears flowing freely from her eyes. My dad walked close to Kemi and stroked Kemi on her hair. Though I knew Kemi and I had some explanations to make, I was glad I found Kemi after almost giving up on her.